LAHORE – Dr Gohar Ejaz Group has swept All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Annual Elections of 2026-28 for the 17th consecutive year.

In a press conference at APTMA House, Lahore addressed by Dr. Gohar Ejaz, Patron in Chief APTMA, Mr. Raza Baqir, Secretary General announcing the election results declared that Mr. Asad Shafi, Mr. Muhammad Anees, Mr. Ahmad Shafi, Mr. Mohammad Qasim, Syed Ali Ahsan, Mr. Ahsan Bashir, Syed Omer Shah, Mr. Haroon Ellahi Shaikh, Mr. Shaiq Jawed, Mr. S. M. Raffay, Mr. Wasif Sikandar Butt, Mr. Zahid Rashid Khawaja, Mr. Hussain Ahmad Fazal, Mr. Mustafa Ahmad Zaman from APTMA Northern Zone and Mr. Naveed Ahmed, Mr. Muhammad Yasin Siddik, Mr. Amanullah Kassim, Mr. Imran Maqbool, Mr. Muhammad Junaid Latif, Mr. Moazzam Ejaz Saya, Mr. Afzal Umer, Mr. Zohair Dilawar Agha, Mr. Sajid Haroon and Mr. Faisal Shakeel from APTMA Southern Zone have been elected unopposed as members of the Central Executive Committee of APTMA. Raza Baqir announcing results of the Zonal elections declared that Mr. Siddique Javed Bhatti has been elected unopposed as Chairman APTMA Northern Zone, Mr. Habib Anwar as Senior Vice Chairman, Mr. Muhammad Ali, Vice Chairman, Mr. Danish Aslam, Treasurer and Mr. Haroon Ellahi Shaikh, Mr. S. M. Nabeel, Mr. Sufyan Akhtar, Mr. Amaan Asif Bashir, Mr. Ismail Aamir Fayyaz, Mr. Abdullah Amir Fazal, Mr. S. M. Raffay, Mr. Mohammad Bilal Danish, Mr. Adeel Mehmood, Mr. Ismail Fareed Sheikh, Mr. Faisal Jawed, Mr. Muhammad Abdullah, Mr. Zaeem Ahmad, Mr. Humayun Qaiser, Mr. Wahaj Tariq, Syed Hassan Nazar Shah, Mr. Asad Kamal, Mr. Ameer Irfan and Mr. Amin Rehman Fazal as members of Zonal Managing Committee.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Gohar Ejaz congratulated his group members for securing an unprecedented 17th year of consecutive victory in the elections of APTMA both at Center and Zonal levels. He felicitated the newly elected members of Central and Zonal Managing Committees and the office bearers on their election. He said that it was great honour to be elected in the largest trade body of the country established since 1957. He added that APTMA and textile industry have always strived for Pakistan and its economic autonomy. Gohar hoped that the newly elected leadership would work hard to strengthen the export potential of the textile industry.

Gohar said textile exports of the country are stagnant owing to multiple issues especially energy tariff, abnormally high taxation and rising cost of doing business. He apprised that consequent to hectic efforts made by his Group, Regionally Competitive Energy Tariff was approved by the Government for export-oriented sectors both for electricity and gas, but it was withdrawn abruptly severely affecting exports. He said that due attention was not being paid to the textile industry which is providing employment to about ten million people and contributing more than 60% of total exports.

Gohar said that textile industry was equipped to add more than $10 Billion in one year’s time if conducive business environment is provided to textile industry. With the view to foster exports and boost up economy of the country, Gohar unveiled his vision for future economy and announced launching of initiative for value added exports. He said that in line with the said vision Center Chairman, nominated by his Group, has worked from fibre to fashion. Similarly, Chairman North Zone is from garment sector and is one of the largest exporters of value-added textiles.

As corporate responsibility, Gohar announced establishing APTMA Education Foundation and APTMA Technical Foundation, to be headed by the outgoing chairman Kamran Arshad. He urged APTMA members to open schools in their neighborhood and to adopt government schools for imparting meaningful job-oriented education. Gohar reiterated that sustainable export-led economic growth is imperative for development of the country and this development is only possible through an educated technically equipped workforce. He hoped that APTMA Education Foundation would grossly contribute to bringing skill revolution in the country.

Gohar highly appreciated the outgoing APTMA leadership for leading the industry in critical times especially despite fiscal and energy constraints. He hoped that the incoming elected office bearers and members of Managing Committees would accelerate their efforts to promote textile exports from the country and for economic uplift of Pakistan.

Outgoing Chairman Kamran Arshad thanked Dr. Gohar Ejaz for all his support, vision and guidance to put textile sector on right track. He also thanked all APTMA members for their continued support during his chairmanship.

Asad Shafi, Chairman designated by Dr. Gohar Ejaz Group for APTMA Pakistan speaking on the occasion appealed to the government to provide business friendly environment to exporters and to relieve them from enormous burden of local taxes, levies, surcharges and hidden costs to make our exports globally competitive.